LADA Diabetes: Finding My Way

This is Part 2 of a two-part series, continuing the story of life after a LADA diagnosis and the path toward support and self-advocacy. Are you living with LADA? Join our upcoming LADA sessions and connect with other women who truly understand your experience.

Receiving my LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) diagnosis answered one question, but it opened the door to so many more. I left my former endocrinologist’s office with my new diagnosis, and the panic set in. I may not have known how to manage type 2 diabetes very well, but I didn’t know anything about type 1 or insulin, or even where to learn about it. I called my gynecologist, who had been the one to first address my misdiagnosis, for the names of a few endocrinologists he held in high regard.

I felt lost and confused about what to do to take care of myself. I was crying to my sister about it one night, and she researched “diabetes support groups for women”. She found DiabetesSisters, and I went to the first available meeting the following Monday. It was at that meeting that I found my people. Like-minded women who understood and really got it. A few years later, I began leading DiabetesSisters groups where I was able to support other women going through similar situations. I came to understand that through my pain, a purpose was born. Self-advocacy is so important when it comes to diabetes. Receiving and providing support are also very important. We are a group of women who are experiencing life with diabetes, and although each experience may not be the same, having someone to talk to who understands and has empathy can make all the difference. I have learned so much from these incredible women, and I continue to do so.

These days, I understand that I have LADA. Another type, another title. It can be so confusing. Learning new eating habits as an adult is challenging, especially when you must unlearn habits you’ve had since childhood. My daughters are teenagers now, which has its own challenges. Life is so tough at that age, wanting to fit in and trying to figure out who they are, and they have BIG feelings. Navigating through their teenage years when I have a low or high blood glucose level can be tough. I’ve learned we all have highs and lows in our lives. For some of us, it’s blood glucose, for others it’s BIG teenage emotions, and for others, it is something else. Everyone cycles through the ups and downs of life, and that is okay. We are all doing the best we can.

Every year, my gynecologist still asks me how I am feeling about diabetes, and how my A1C is. He is still very invested. It’s been a long journey. There have been bumps and bruises along the way, but I’m navigating through it with the help of my diabetes team, which includes God, my endocrinologist, DiabetesSisters, and of course, my hero – my gynecologist.

Looking back, I can say that my first endocrinologist was right about one thing – he said my daughters are worth it and deserve the best mom. I believe, with humbleness and a sprinkle of confidence, that they have her. And I most definitely plan to be around to watch them continue to grow up.

Some days are bad, some are okay, but most are good or great. Some days I feel burnt out, but every second of every day provides us all with an opportunity to start over. If you have a poor attitude or make a not-so-great decision, you can regroup, decide to change your attitude, and start over in one second. You missed that second? It’s okay because another one is coming. On the days I experience diabetes burnout, I allow myself to feel discouraged and sorry for myself – just for a few minutes – and then I change my mind in one of those upcoming seconds.

I have lived with gestational diabetes twice, type 2 diabetes (erroneously), type 1 diabetes, and LADA. I am not allowing diabetes to hold me back from living and enjoying life. I am not just surviving – I am thriving. I call it “Liveabetes.”